How to: Get an Awesome Autumn Tan

Wed, 11 April 2012 12:17PM

This autumn, I implore you to marvel at the leaves turning orange, not your legs. Primpettes, it’s time to come to terms with the fact that summer is long gone, and them changing seasonal winds have blown away any trace of long romantic novels, neon razor-backs and nugget-brown tans.

At this time of year, nothing looks more beautiful than a vibrant vanilla-hued complexion peeking above a robust, cosy coat, a sexy slither of caramelized calf peeking from above the autumn ankle boot, or – in Ms Klum’s case – a beautifully bronzed décolletage offsetting a sharp blazer. So chic:

You like? Here’s how to get the exact autumn perched perfectly between copper and Casper.

First up, ensure the tanning product you are using fits with your naturally paler skin tone, rather than the one you used in summer. In other words, avoid the words ‘deep’ and ‘dark’ on packaging unless your skin naturally falls under this category. The tones you want to befriend are ‘sheer’ and ‘light’.

Depending on how deep you want your glow to go, choose the appropriate texture:

• Spray Tan: This is a great autumn option as it’s lightweight and fluid, spreading easily and smoothing streak-free.
• Lotion or Cream: This texture is much thicker, smoother and more concentrated. I like this for legs that aren’t in full focus, so you can afford this richer coverage.
• Mousse: This has a foamy, whipped-cream texture formulation and can be spread thinly or thickly according to your want, which is great for the décolletage and arms.

When you’ve chosen your preferred tone, perform a patch test before doing a full application. Simply apply the formula to a small section of skin and leave it for a day to check for any allergies and colour development.

When it comes to application, three steps should suffice:

• First exfoliate in the shower and gently rub the skin in all the places you’ll be applying tan. Legs, arms and chest are the most important, as these areas are often more dry/oily then other parts, and excess oil build-up or flaking may occur.
• Remember to shave, Primpettes. An enviably golden limb peeking from beneath your trench could be mistaken for a wild marsupial if you’re not careful.
• Always moisturise once the colour has dried and every single day from then on. This will ensure that reapplication is smoother and colour fades gradually, rather than coming away in dry, obvious patches.

In autumn, you can get away with reapplying a tanner once a week to keep it looking flawless, but be sure to exfoliate before reapplying to avoid staining.

If you’d prefer to spend autumn mornings eating hot muffins (or is that just me?) then get your mitts on ModelCo Tan Extender, $24, 02 8354 6700, to do the work for you every other day.

• If you’re happy to be paler from the knees north and just want a tan for the lower legs, Le Tan Flawless Legs, $17.99, 1 300 650 981 creates beautiful bronzed legs for any occasion in an instant, washes off the next day and is transfer resistant.
• If you’re covered from toe to throat and just want to invigorate your visage, choose a face tanner. I am so obsessed with Rodial Brazilian Tan, $29.40, from Adore Beauty. Believe me, it sounds darker than it actually is. I apply this each morning with my moisturizer, as it’s super hydrating and a heaps believable hue!

So, are you inspired to turn down your summer tan a little?

Remember, orange looks best on trees right now.

ecb x

Posted by: ecb

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Tags: adore beauty, autumn tan, fake tan, featured how to, heidi klum, how to, le tan, modelco, rodial, spray tan, tan, tan mousse